The popular Louvered Air Cleaner has traditionally graced hot rods using Holley 94’s and Stromberg 97 carburetors, but with the new backing plates made by Lowbrow Customs, you can install and run one of these inexpensive, cool air cleaners on your Harley-Davidson with ease.

Louvered Air Cleaner kits come complete with a washable paper filter, stainless steel, allen-head hardware and mounting gasket. They are available for CV carburetors and EFI Throttle Bodies, as found on Harley-Davidson Sportsters from 1991-2015, Big Twins 1993-2006, and FXD Dyna from 2004-2015. A kit is also available for S&S Super E and G Carburetors. The USA-made backing plates are 1/4 inch thick steel, powdercoated black. This well engineered kit contains everything you need and installs in minutes. The Louvered Air Cleaner Install Video has step-by-step instructions on installing this kit on a Sportster, including a list of all tools needed.

Lowbrow Customs’ Louvered Air Cleaners are $42.95 for the entire kit and can be ordered by phone at 1-855-456-9276 or by visiting www.lowbrowcustoms.com. All of the 7,100+ motorcycle parts and accessories at Lowbrow Customs are in-stock, on the shelf and shipping out daily, world-wide.

Are you tired of not getting tires for your tired out older bike? Thanks to the folks over at Metzler, there’s a “tyre” for you. Their new Sportec Klassik is designed to compliment classic 70’s rides that are showing up at watering holes, cafés and swap meets all over the country. Here at Iron Trader News, we love keeping old sleds on the road, so Metzler’s move is all right by us!

There’s a full range of sizes, all benefiting from the many advances in technology that have taken place over the past few decades. From the tread pattern to the compound and wear charismatics, it’s a tire designed in concert with classic, simple rides. We tip our hats to Metzler for that, but check it out for yourself on Metzer’s website.

It’s no surprise to find big rig drivers at motorcycle events; plenty of truckers ride bikes. Maybe that’s why Brad Wike’s Southern Classic Truck Show in Lincolnton, NC, was such a comfortable and interesting place to hang out on a late summer’s day. For its 13th annual running yesterday, an eclectic mix of vehicles turned out, including restored and unrestored examples, trucks with film credits, even hot rods and one-offs.

I admit it: I know next to nothing about the world of trucks, so the logical thing to do was talk with a big rig expert. Lucky for me Rob Mariani, host for two seasons of “American Trucker” on Speed Channel, was there. Rob was meeting fans, signing autographs and showing off “Low Patrol,” his restored rig he calls the working man’s hot rod. Rob’s flat out passion and enthusiasm for trucks and truck people is contagious. But in addition to that, in a few minutes of conversation he made several excellent points about the importance of over-road trucking in America.

First, let’s give trucks and truckers their due: so much of what we all take for granted, from the food we eat to the cars we drive, gets to us on trucks. They’re moving stuff all over the country, every day and night, bringing commodities of all kinds to market for us. As Rob says, “Trucks move America!”

And trucking is a noble profession that includes not only drivers but dispatchers, manufacturers, parts suppliers, repair technicians, restoration experts, metal fabricators and more. Like motorcycling, it’s an entire industry!

That said, the nuances of brand were pretty much lost on me during Brad’s show but there was plenty to look at and great people to talk with. So enjoy these images and watch for next year’s event. With any luck, Evel Knievel’s Mack rig “Big Red” will be totally restored by then and open for touring at Brad’s Southern Classic Truck Show 2015.